Demonic ties
by Doomedangel
Summary: Ronin never knew that when she left the ramen house, her life would never be the same... dun dun dun, First story, the story is better than the summary, I promise. please R
1. Chapter 1

This is my first story; please don't be too harsh, I'm new at this. I do not own Naruto…Duh

" Are you awake yet………. Hello in there………..WAKE UP!!!"

I awoke with a gasp to see Kiba right in my face.

" WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?!?!?! I WAS ASLEEP!!!!"

" Well, I thought you would want to get breakfast at the place that Naruto praises for its ramen" he said. I rubbed my eyes from sleep.

"Who eats ramen for breakfast?"

" We do, when Naruto is buying, even if he doesn't know it yet."

I had to laugh at that; poor Naruto was always stuck with the bill when he invited Kiba and me to any meal, oh well.

"Okay, I'll be down after I get dressed, which means you have to leave."

" Fine, I'll just peek when you aren't looking."

" First off, ew, secondly, I will hear you coming up the stairs, you have the feet of an elephant."

Once Kiba had left the room I pulled my self out of bed and walked over to the mirror. Kiba had been kind enough to let me live in his apartment, I lived in what could have been a large walk-in closet, but now it's just a small room. I looked in the mirror to see a thin girl with short black hair that was a mess, and cat's eyes. I glanced down at the scars on my arm, they were either from fighting with dogs for food or hiding in forests from people who I had gotten into a fight with that I knew I could not win or from adults looking for me because I had gotten into trouble.

But that was all behind me now.

As soon as I was dressed, after stopping Kiba from spying on me several times, I walked out side to meet Kiba and Naruto at the ramen place.

" Ronin, over here" Naruto called waving. I waved back to him. Naruto always seemed to have a smile on his face despite his…"problem" if you will; he was like a ray of light that no darkness could drown out.

" Wow," Kiba stated looking me up and down "you wore that?"

I gave him a puzzled look; " I always wear this" I looked at what I was wearing. The mesh shirt, like the one Shikamaru wore, and a black tube top over it, (the tube top stopped below my chest) And black shorts that came to where my fingers , and I had to mesh leggings on one that came from under the shorts down to the knee, and one that went from my shoe to my below my knee (same as Tamari's)

Naruto laughed at Kiba, who was still starring at me " Stop staring at her and order already."

After we had all ordered and finished we were all walking back to Naruto's house, because Naruto and Kiba were going to play a game of shoji.

"I've never eaten so much ramen before" Kiba said holding his stomach,

" You wimp," Naruto bragged, " You only had two bowls, and I had five."

I looked at him for a minute and then looked at Kiba

" How do you eat that much?" I asked " Watching you eat is like feeding time at the zoo Naruto"

We walked the rest of the way making jokes about each other's eating habits and laughing.

I was laughing so hard at a joke that Naruto said about how Kiba and Akamaru look exactly the same when they are eating I didn't really notice the three ninjas walking towards us. I only realized it when I slammed into one of then. I looked at his hard face covered in purple marks.

" Watch where you're going" he snapped at me

A snarl ripped from my throat, " Why don't you watch were you're going and maybe you wont ram into people!" I responded

"Stop it you two!" I looked to see a girl in the group, her blonde hair looked pale in comparison with the flame red hair of the boy next to her. As I looked at the strange group I realized the only similarity they had was that each of them carried something on their backs. The girl carried a fan and I couldn't identify what the boy I had hit was carrying. But the only member that had my attention was the red haired boy in the middle with a gourd on his back.

"Crap!" Naruto said, holding his hand, " I cut my hand on a kunai knife in my pocket."

" Again!?" Kiba said as he hurried to cover my eyes and nose

It was to late, I had already smelled the blood flowing from Naruto's hand. My arms and legs shook I clutched my throbbing head in my hands.

" Is she squeamish?" Naruto's voice questioned

" No you idiot! I've told you this over and over again!" Kiba yelled at Naruto as he still held his hands over my face, " Do I need to tell you again?"

" Yeah" Naruto responded in an embarrassed tone

"IDIOT!!" Kiba screamed as I now fought against him to get to the blood now falling to the ground.

The sound of the blood dripping was all I heard, I didn't hear Kiba or Naruto or the other ninjas, all I heard was the blood. Blood, the word circled in my head, the taste filled my mouth.

You might be asking what is happening to me, or you don't really care. But I'll tell you anyway. Like Naruto, I have a demon sealed inside me; unlike him I shared that demon. Another child was chosen to harbor the demon, I was given half and he was given half. He received the half that controlled the jutsus and ninja skills, while I received the half that fed of blood and killed and fought. Since I was so young the demon chakra and mine mixed into one.

" WE HAVE TO GET GAARA OUT OF HERE!!!!" the girls voice called in panic. I looked up to see the boy with red hair, Gaara, being held up and dragged off as he breathed heavily and clasped his head in his hand.

I was going to discover the secrets that made up Gaara, even if it killed me.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two!! Silence Please contain your applause rolls eyes

After Kiba had pulled me off of Naruto and made me apologize a million times, we finally made it to Naruto's apartment.

" I'm really sorry I attacked you Naruto." I said again as Kiba set up the shoji board and Naruto bandaged his hand (I only made the wound worse by tearing at it)

" It's ok," he said as tied the bandage," but if you really want to make it up to me you could give me a kiss." He inched towards me

" One step closer and your hand wont be the only thing bleeding."

He gulped and took his seat at the game board.

" Your girlfriend scares me at times." He whispered to Kiba

" WHAT!?!?!?!" Kiba exploded, " SHE IS NOT MY GIRL FRIEND!!!!!!!!!"

By then I was half way out the door.

" Look what you've done now!!" he said hitting Naruto in the back of the head

" I'm only going outside for a walk, to clear my head" I assured Kiba

" Or to think about Kiba " Naruto said under his breath.

I had had enough. I turned towards Naruto, who was now regretting that he said it out loud. Before he had time to react I had pinned him against the wall now snarling at him.

" I'm to young… and… cute to die!!!!!!!" he pleaded. I looked at him, then I looked at Kiba, and then Kiba and I burst out laughing

" I thought you were going to wet yourself!" Kiba blurted, though it was hard to make out because he was laughing to hard.

Then Naruto said a few things I won't repeat, blah blah blah, they broke out into a fistfight, by then I was halfway down the street.

_Who were those others we ran into? Why are they here? Why did they have to leave when Naruto was bleeding?_ These thoughts and more raced through my head.

" HEY YOU!!" A voice called from behind me. It took time to place the voice to a face, but I got it.

" Oh joy," I said turning around to face the person, " It's the boy in the stupid hat and make-up."

There he stood, I searched my brain for a name that I had heard mentioned about the new comers…Gaara, no…Temari, that's a girls name….. Kankuro!!

" Kankuro, is it? " I asked just smiling at how shocked he seemed that I knew his name.

" That's none of your business now is it?" He asked seeming proud of his comeback

" It is actually. When you shouted at me you made it my business to know about the party doing the shouting, thus if it was none of my business you should have left me alone, but you did not, thus making it my business. Saavy?"

" I've had enough of you and your comments." He said.

" I'm just getting started though." I was enjoying this and how he seemed to be losing this little mind game I was playing

_What's the worse he could do?_ _Sit on me?_ I had to laugh at that

" What are you laughing at?" He demanded, now he was angry, and I was winning now more than ever.

"Nothing, just that, it must be hard living with a demon in your brother, Gaara.


	3. Gaara

Might have messed with personalities here, might not have watched enough of the show to be sure.

I woke to a throbbing head and legs that could barley lift me up. I glanced around the empty room……_WHAT!?!?!? WHEN DID I GET HERE!?!?!?!?!?! _The only thing I remembered was arguing with the cat boy, and then a puppet…creepy puppet. And falling, there was falling, and then all went numb.

When my legs finally held me up I looked at my surroundings, dark room, one window, I could jump, … locked from the out side…same for the door.

_Shit_

I sat in the corner to ponder my options, screw this there are no options. _Maybe, just maybe I could get out using ….no…it's not worth it, _is it?

As I pondered this, the door slid open, there was the Kankuro with a plate of ramen, eating.

"Oh, you woke up, that's good." He was clearly enjoying this, "so, as you once said, 'looks like I have the upper hand'."

I snarled at him, I was going to kill him, then a pair of footsteps sounded closer and closer. Then Gaara was in the doorway next to Kankuro.

" You put her in my room?" his voice…cold and dark, almost…frightening.

" G-G- Gaara, when did you get back?" Kankuro seemed frightened of his baby brother. _Weird family, glad mine gave me away. _

" I want her out of my room."

" You always did want a pet," he said still scared, " and if she acts up you can kill her"

_KIL ME!?!?!?!?!?!?! _

" I'll get rid of her tomorrow Gaara, I promise."

Gaara stepped in the room and closed the door, leaving a terrified and frozen Kankuro in the hall.

" To get out just stick a kunai in the window and push up." He said

" You've been trapped in your own room before?"

" Every night."

" Why?"

He explained his whole story from the beginning, how he only knew hate and fear and never love. When he was finished I had to ask.

" That's all?"

" Weren't you listening?"

" Yes, and I think you had it pretty well off."

" What's your story then?"

" You really want to know?"

He nodded.

" Fine, like your father my father placed a demon inside me, only, he split the demon in half, to share between my brother and myself, I received the blood thirsty half, that killed and fought, my brother received the wise half. My father died when we were only five. An organization had heard of us, so they decided to take us, to _provide_ all that we would need, at least that's what we thought.

" For months without end, we were burned hit stabbed and beaten, we were even used as targets for attacks. They did this because my demon only came out when I was in extreme pain. But, no matter what they did, the demon in my brother never came out. Soon I became numb to anything they did, I felt nothing, but I would protect my brother when they came near, the only one feeling I had, was affection for him.

" But they used that one feeling against me, one day they dragged us into a room and tied me to a chair. Then they did the one thing never thought they would do.

They held my brother up by the collar, and they slit his throat.

" When they killed him that was more pain than I could bear, so when I was nine, I killed them all. I never get close to anything, or anyone, in fear that it will be taken from me in one foul swing."

He stood there starring at me in shock.

_Later that night on the roof_

I just sat there thinking about Gaara, and his story, I had known love, from my brother, but he had known none. I thought of my brother, he was my twin, I thought of his kind face and thoughtful eyes.

Then I heard Gaara step onto the roof.

" Good evening Gaara-san"

He walked right up behind me and sat next to me.

" Hold still"

" What?"

" Just hold still."

I gave in and did what he said. I sat completely still. He seemed to do nothing at first, and then he hesitantly placed his arm around my shoulders. He pulled me closer until my head rested against his chest. I heard his heart rate almost hum in his chest.

I relaxed my body, and put my arm around him, and he relaxed as well.


	4. Sas gay

_I ran as fast as my small legs could carry me, I was terrified and shaken_

" _You know I'm going to catch you bakka, it's only a matter of time."_

_His voice echoed through the forest, he was everywhere and nowhere at the same time._

" _I know what you hate, I know what you fear, and I know what you have to do!"_

_I was half way to hysterical now, the trees all seemed to grab at me and try to trap me in their cold embrace._

xxxxx

The closet door opened to reveal Kankuro standing there, an almost mocking look across his face.

" Heard you screaming all night long, poor demon"

That was what pushed that last nerve, I had snapped. I lunged at him with blood shoot eyes and pushed him to the ground, I had him pinned by the shoulders.

" Who's screaming now you son of a bitch?"

" TEMARI HELP!!"

" Tamari's gone, no one can hear _your_ screams."

" SOMEONE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

" You're pathetic, you're not even worth killing, or my time. But give this to the village hidden in the sand." I sank my teeth deep into his wrist letting the crimson life flow from him to me. He let out an agonizing scream. " Tell 'em it's from the demon of the shadows"

I made my way back to Kiba's place, but I stopped by the ramen booth to get something to eat, I think I was trapped for at least three days, the night on the roof was the last time I had seem light. And I had not eaten the whole time.

As I sat on the stool at the booth, I glanced up at the mirror to see the horrible reflection starring back at me. The stains of Kankuro's blood surrounded my mouth. I licked my palm and rubbed around my mouth until the stains were gone.

After I was fed, both sides of me, I walked the rest of the way to Kiba's apartment, only to find a note tacked to the door

Ronin,

You probably are long gone by now, but if you are reading this, I am at the center of the forest with the other chunin for practice, if you decide to come back, please meet me there

Love,

Inuzuka Kiba

My heart throbbed, _Love, __Damn it _I knew I had over stayed my welcome, I would go to the forest center and find Kiba and tell him I would move out.

I entered the center of the forest to find every chunin sparring, or practicing jutsus.. Akamaru ran up to me and jumped at my feet as if happy that I came back, or expecting a treat.

" Akamaru? Why did you run off? We need to practi………." Kiba stood shocked. I lifted up Akamaru and walked over to Kiba and placed Akamaru on his head.

" Miss me?"

" Hell yes!"

I wrapped my arms around him and held him for a while until I felt another pair of arms around my waist. It was Naruto.

" I missed you so much." He said through tears (anime tears)

(Sweat drop) "I missed you too"

" You should have seen it, " he said clearly over the fact of my absence, " I totally kicked Sasuke's ass."

(_Blah blah blah, Naruto explains, blah blah blah, Kiba tells the truth, blah blah blah, back to story_)

" Why are you so obsessed with beating Sasuke Naruto?"

" I can't remember anymore"

" Why do you even care about Sas- Gay?"

Naruto and Kiba: o.0

" Any man with that many fan girls, and doesn't give a shit about any of them has to be gay."

I made a hand signal and transformed into Sasuke and began prancing around like a little girl.

" Every girl likes me," I said still prancing around as Sasuke, " but the one person I love, is Naruto!" I wrapped my arms around Naruto's neck. By this time every boy chunin (except Sasuke) was gathered around and rolling on the ground laughing.

I was milking this for all it was worth. Poor Naruto was trying to contain himself, from falling over and laughing.

" I love my little Naruto sooo much!" I held him closer to me

That was the most fun I had had in a while, probably for everyone else too.

" Everyone thinks I'm tough but really, I'm just a pansy boy, and gay!!"

Then the laughter stopped.

" He's behind me isn't he?"

The whole crowd nodded. I turned slowly releasing Naruto's neck to see a very angry, very pissed off, Sasuke

" So I'm gay am I?" he said (anger mark on forehead)

(sweat drop) " Maybe."

xxxxx

I appologize for the Japanize mistake in last chapter, like anyone read it, i might stop writing this story, because it's not doing well out there, so this might be the last chapter which is a shame.


	5. next test

I know that only a few people wanted me to continue writing this, but oh well

"Sasuke," I said still trying to shut Naruto up, he was laughing way to hard, "there is a good explanation for why I called you gay…."

" What is it then?" he said tapping his foot in anger

" Good question, " I took a deep breath and told him the truth, " the truth is, I think you are clearly the gayest person I've ever had the displeasure of meeting, and, I think that you and every fan girl that calls herself a ninja think way to highly of you. How's that for an answer?" I put my hands on my hips and waited for a response (_by now I wasn't transformed into Sasuke any more_)

He threw a kunai and barely missed my head.

" How's that for a response?"

" That is a good response;" I said pulling out the kunai from the tree it had dug itself into, " and let this be my rebuttal." . In one swift move I flung it back at him, only missing him by a hair, but leaving a cut on his cheek.

" Ha ha." Not really laughing at him but pretty proud of myself, I leaned over to Naruto and said "next time I won't miss."

" That's enough you two"

There in the middle of the clearing was Kakashi sensei, and the others (_I have no idea what there names are sorry)_

Sasuke and I exchanged one last glare as we went to join our teams….

Wait a minute, I have no team, whoops 

" What team will you be joining today Ronin?" Kakashi asked, I usually jumped from team to team, most of the time I was with Kiba's team, or Naruto's.

I walked over to Kiba's team and stood next to Hinata. She smiled meekly and I smiled back at her.

" Kakashi sensei," Sasuke interrupted right as Kakashi was about to explain something, " that won't be fair, they have four people the rest of us only have three, I say we don't let that demon join us."

" WHAT DID YOU CALL ME!?" I'm usually very passive about what people say about me, but I wasn't having a good day, and I needed to rip something apart.

" I called you a demon, isn't that what you are?" He spat back at me.

I took a few steps forward ready to strike and kill and or maim. Shino put his hand on my shoulder and held me back. I went back to my group and stood there silently plotting revenge on Sasuke. I looked at Sasuke and he glared back, I pointed to him then I brought my hand across my neck in a slashing movement.

"Okay, now that that's over," Kakashi started, "Sasuke, if you would have let me speak, you would have known that this assignment has nothing to do with teams at all. Look at your teammates, now wave good-bye, because you will not be working with them. Instead, you will be in teams of two, which the other teachers (_or whatever they are called, I don't really pay attention to them) _and I have chosen."

He began listing off the teams; Lee was with Sakura, Temari with Shikamaru, and Sasuke with Ino, hate to see how that turns out, and so on and so forth.

" Ronin," Kakashi called, " you're with…Gaara."

Everyone gasped, especially Gaara's siblings and Kiba.

" Oh my god, are you guys that scared?" I asked clearly annoyed.

I walked over to Gaara and took my place next to him.

" Now that the teams are set up," Kakashi sensei started, " even though one of you isn't paying attention, _cough_ Ino _cough_, here are your instructions, this test is similar to the test 'the forest of death' in the chunin exams."

He continued on, and then I felt a nudge. Gaara nudged me with his elbow

" How many people do you think it takes to kill one stubborn stuck up Uchiha?" He asked a murderous gleam in his eyes.

" Hmmm," I really was enjoying being with Gaara, he seemed to know what it was like to be an outcast and not respected even now, and feared. " If I had to guess I'd say it would take one red head sand demon, and one and one black haired shadow spirit."

He flashed me a little half smile.

" So," Kakashi sensei's voice broke in, " in the forest are five boxes, each box has a curse jutsu on it, that means which ever team opens the box out of the box shall come whatever inner demons those people have, such as fears, or..." he paused and looked at Naruto, Gaara and me, " or, the real thing."

" Dun dun dunnn." I just needed to add that to the conversation.

. "There will be two 'creatures' that will appear, one for each person."

Gaara and I exchanged glances.

" I don't see what the big deal is?" Naruto said putting his hands behind his head.

Gaara shook his head sadly.

" ARE YOU THAT STUPID (sweat drop) YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE ON THE NINE TAILED FOX, DUMB-ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I screamed at him

"But wait, there's more," Kakashi sensei broke in. " this test is even more similar to the forest of death, because most of u wont make it out alive. And, this test will last at least two days, so you will be spending the night in the forest"

" Eehh." I breathed out (anime faints)

" I didn't do it" Gaara said looking down at me

" Anyway..." Kakashi began again, " since there are eight teams and only five boxes, there will be competition to get to these boxes, then there are the boxes themselves, these inner demons and fears may kill you."

"Are you serious!?!" Naruto yelled out, " we work so hard to become chunin just so you can kill us!?!?!?!"

" Weren't you listening?" Kiba asked smacking him in the back of the head.

" You will have a few minutes to talk to your partner and decide what you're going to do." Asuma said flicking his cigarette on to the ground _(I_ _figured out one of the names! go me!)_

Most people started talking about strategies or about what jutsus to use, or showing off new jutsus that they had learned or perfected.

" As I see it," I said to Gaara, putting my hands behind my head, " we are at an advantage because you and I can't or don't need to sleep, while others will tire at one point. We are at a disadvantage because, to put it plainly, we gonna get our asses killed."

He gave me that little half smile that I loved.

" Well, maybe if we try to work together it'll be easier. And, besides, I don't even know what jutsus you can do."

" That is true, and every one knows what the dreaded sabaku no Gaara can do."

Again with the half smile.

" I'm basically a living shadow, like I can do what you do with your sand, but it takes up chakra when I do it, only a small amount, but still."

I showed Gaara all of the jutsus I know how to do, like shadow transformation, where I become a shadow and am able to control a person, I take the form of the nearest shadow and am able to jump to other shadows. I showed him how my shadows work the same as his sand.

xxx

In the forest 

"We need to get to a box before the others do," he said as we jumped from tree to tree.

"Why?"

" Because it would be hard to fight Shukaku and … what's your demon called?"

" …" I was hesitant to tell him, " Onisan." _(Translation: brother)_


	6. New life

OH SWEET GOD

OH SWEET GOD! It's been so long since I've written this...forgive me? Lol

--

The last thing I remembered was opening that box, and seeing those two demons appeared. I remember the terror that engulfed me when I saw them. Shukaku, the sand demon, he was huge and Gaara seemed terrified of him. But the one image burned deep into my mind was of that dark shape next to Gaara's demon, my demon. It had no shape, it was just like a large shadow, with two dark red eyes, those eyes, the way they stared at me and that grin. It wasn't even a mouth…more of a gap in the shadow...but it looked as if it was lined with sharp, dripping teeth.

From there it's all black.

--

Cold. Unbearable pain. Never ending. So dark... So cold. Everything hurts. Make it stop… Please make it stop. Blood…all I smell all I see…So much blood. Oh god make it stop…

--

I woke up in the hospital. That much I deduced from the constant beeping of the monitor keeping track of my heartbeat. I was awake, but I didn't want to open my eyes...not yet, not now. My whole body ached and my wrist burned where they put in the IV. I finally opened my eyes, hoping the dark world that I had been in would be replaced with the white hospital room. I was wrong, I opened my eyes, and it was still dark, but now with a crimson tint. I couldn't take it.

I cried out in anger and pain and sat up, my whole body burned with pain and I put my hands to my eyes. Bandages, the darkness I was seeing was dried blood, my blood. I was terrified and I cried out again, screaming trying desperately to get the attention of anyone who would hear. I hear the door slide open quickly, but I wouldn't stop screaming, I thrashed wildly, clawing at the bandages.

" WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME!?" I cried as the nurse held me down against the hospital bed.

Several more people rushed in to hold me down as the doctor removed the bandages, they all left as fast as they came, closing the door tightly behind them.

My eyes opened slowly, the light hurt and everything was white, which didn't help at all. I sat up again, the pain wasn't as bad but still hurt, I looked around the room, and I saw the monitor, the constant beeping now annoying me. I flicked the machine off and pulled off the monitoring device. I looked at the other side of the bed, and there was a table covered with flowers and balloons and other get-well things. I read the cards, painful yes, but I read them. Most of the flowers were from Kiba; there was even a little toy dog from him that looked like Akumaru. I sighed and got out of the bed; I tore the IV from my wrist and found my clothes under all the gifts on the table. I got dressed and looked down at my clothes and realized how little I wore.

I also saw the burns, these horrible black burns on my arms and upper legs, even on my torso. But they didn't look like burns from a fire. I was terrified and grabbed some white bandages from the side table, which were probably used to wrap my eyes, and wrapped it around my burns. My lower arms were covered in bandages now, carefully wrapped so no one could see the burns but I could still move, the bandages also were on my thighs and above my knees and around my waist and stomach. There was no mirror to admire my handy-work, but I thought I did a good job, and if not I could get Neji or Ino to give me a few tips. I tied my headband on around my forehead, not wanting to put it around my waist; afraid I might ruin the bandages.

I stuffed all my gifts into my bag, careful of all the flowers, and left the hospital room quietly via the window. It was an easy walk from the hospital to the town; the streets weren't as crowded as I had thought they would have been so it was simple. But I realized that only the street I was on was being deserted, and the looks people were giving me. I had grown used to being stared at, but not like this, everyone seemed terrified, even people who knew me. Then I saw it.

I saw my reflection in a window. I was horrified of what had happened to me. I thought that the worse that would've happened was my hair would be messed up, and possibly scars near my eyes. Well my hair was messed up, but my eyes were my main concern. They were completely black…. no pupils, no color, no whites...nothing, all black. I slammed my fist into the window shattering it, not wanting to look at myself anymore. Just when I was about to loose my mind completely I felt a tap on my shoulder.

" Ronin!" It was Naruto and he quickly wrapped his arms around me from behind.

The shock made me jumps and the headband slipped over my eyes.

" Naruto...let go of me…" I managed to gasp out, "…I…need air!!"

He let go quickly " Sorry Ronin…"  
" It's fine…" I gasped trying to catch my breath. I tried to fix the headband back onto my forehead but it kept slipping down over my eyes.

Naruto helped me fix the headband from behind and tied it tightly " There. Mine does that too sometimes." He smiled widely and turned me around so he could see my face.

I looked down so he couldn't see my eyes " N-Naruto…please let me go…"

He frowned " What's wrong Ronin?" he lifted my head up and I saw the shock in his expression.

I couldn't take it anymore. I ran. I didn't want to go back. I had had enough of all of the stares and now. Theses eyes. That would just make it worse... I was going to leave and not come back to Konoha...and if I did, it would be for supplies only.

The town blurred together into one mass of color. I could hear Naruto yelling for me to return, but I didn't want to.

_-- Time skip--_

Years had passed since I'd been to Konoha. The streets seemed welcoming and like home, after wandering to different places it was nice to see someplace where I felt at peace. I still wore the bandages because the burns never left but I had changed my clothes for practicality and cover. I still wore a short black top but now it had a hood, still no sleeves though, I had tried sleeves but they ruined the bandages and hurt when the fabric rubbed against the burns. I still wore shorts, but now they were longer and had several straps. The straps were mostly for fun but I use them to hold kunai and shurikin.

I kept my hood up so no one could see my eyes, I was so ashamed of them, and I felt like a monster.

I did get some strange looks from the villagers as I walked quietly down the street, but I didn't care, because I was home.

I heard a large growl build up behind me. I tried to ignore it but I had to turn to see what caused it. I found my self face to face with a dog the size of a cow. A fierce snarl ripped from its throat and I growled in return, keeping the growl in my throat, letting it resonate. It bared its fangs and lunged throwing me to the ground with an amazing force. It pinned my shoulders, its massive paws holding me down. I growled again at it, now with rage. It snarled then cocked it head to the side; it paused then sniffed my face, pushing the hood backwards. It pulled back and barked happily and licked my face.

I winced thinking it was going to attack but when it barked I opened my eyes

I saw the marking and the face of the dog and something in the back of my mind clicked

" Akamaru!?"

He barked happily hearing his name and licked my face again, his tail wagging furiously

I played with his ears as I had years ago " You got SO big boy! What happened to you?" I cooed

He only nuzzled me in response. He got off of me and picked me up by the back of my shirt and carried me down the street. My hood fell back over my eyes and I just hung there limp in his mouth, laughing the whole way at how proud Akamaru seemed.

When he finally dropped me I just stayed limp on the ground. He whimpered slightly and nudged me with his nose. I giggled but stayed still. He nudged me again and barked.

Just as I was about to get up I heard footsteps and a voice that I had heard before but I couldn't put a face to it.

" Akamaru! What you got there boy?" The foot steps grew closer then stopped near my face. " Akamaru! You didn't…did you?"

Akamaru whimpered and nudged me again. I got up slowly and kept the hood over my eyes, I sat up and looked up at the person.

" K-Kiba?" I gasped; I jumped up and hugged him tightly

He shoved me off of him and glared, he held a kunai knife ready to strike " who the hell do you think you are!?" he snapped

Akamaru growled lightly and stood in front of me protectively. Kiba raised and eye brow and lowered the knife

" Akamaru...you've only been that protective about me and…Ronin…"

I smiled slightly " Hi Kiba."

He paused then wrapped his arms tightly around me, and I hugged him back.

" What happened to you? You just left…"

" I'm sorry…I just had to go"

" Never leave me again..."

" I can't promise that"

His grip around me grew tighter

" Promise me."

" I'll try…"

He picked me up and put me on his shoulders " C'mon! Everyone will be so happy to see you!"

" No Kiba!" But he didn't listen and he carried me all the way to Naruto's place.

Naruto opened the door; he was still in his pajamas. I giggled when I saw him.

" Ronin??" Naruto blinked and rubbed his eyes "Wow!! You really grew!…you look like the girls pervy sage watches!!"

I blushed deeply and slapped him.


End file.
